Chapter- 1 part -3

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I crossed my arms over my chest, my face flaming the same

color as my bra. “Was it like this the entire time?”

“Yes.”

“You could’ve told me.”

“I did tell you. Just now.”

Sometimes, I wanted to strangle him. I really did. And I wasn’t

even a violent person. I was the same girl who didn’t eat

gingerbread man cookies for years after watching Shrek because

I

felt like I was eating Gingy’s family members or, worse, Gingy

himself, but something about Alex provoked my dark side.

I

exhaled a sharp breath and dropped my arms by instinct,

forgetting about my see-through shirt until Alex’s gaze flicked

down to my chest again.

The flaming cheeks returned, but I was sick of sitting here

arguing with him. Crumble & Bake closed in ten minutes, and the

clock was ticking.

Maybe it was the man, the weather, or the hour and a half I’d

spent stuck under a bus shelter, but my frustration spilled out

before I could stop it. “Instead of being an asshole and staring at

my breasts, can you lend me your jacket? Because I really want to

get this cake and send my brother, your best friend, off in style

before he leaves the country.”

My words hung in the air while I clapped a hand over my

mouth, horrified. Did I just utter the word “breasts” to Alex Volkov

and accuse him of ogling me? And call him an asshole?

Dear God, if you smite me with lightning right now, I won’t be

mad. Promise.

Alex’s eyes narrowed a fraction of an inch. It ranked in the top

five most emotional responses I’d pulled out of him in eight years,

so that was something.

“Trust me, I was not staring at your breasts,” he said, his voice

frigid enough to transform the lingering drops of moisture on my

skin into icicles. “You’re not my type, even if you weren’t Josh’s

sister.”

Ouch. I wasn’t interested in Alex either, but no girl enjoys being

dismissed so easily by a member of the opposite sex.

“Whatever. There’s no need to be a jerk about it,” I muttered.

“Look, C&B closes in two minutes. Just let me borrow your jacket,

and we can get out of here.”

I’d pre-paid online, so all I needed was to grab the cake.

A muscle ticked in his jaw. “I’ll get it. You’re not leaving the car

dressed like that, even wearing my jacket.”

Alex yanked an umbrella out from beneath his seat and exited

the car in one fluid motion. He moved like a panther, all coiled

grace and laser intensity. If he wanted, he could make a killing as

a runway model, though I doubted he’d ever do anything so

“gauche.”

He returned less than five minutes later with Crumble & Bake’s

signature pink-and-mint-green cake box tucked beneath one arm.

He dumped it in my lap, snapped his umbrella closed, and

reversed out of the parking spot without so much as blinking.

“Do you ever smile?” I asked, peeking inside the box to make

sure they hadn’t messed up the order. Nope. One Death by

Chocolate, coming right up. “It might help with your condition.”

“What condition?” Alex sounded bored.

“Stickuptheassitis.” I’d already called the man an asshole, so

what was one more insult?

I

might’ve imagined it, but I thought I saw his mouth twitch

before he responded with a bland, “No. The condition is chronic.”

My hands froze while my jaw unhinged. “D-did you make a

joke?”

“Explain why you were out there in the first place.” Alex

evaded my question and changed subjects so quick I had

whiplash.

He made a joke. I wouldn’t have believed it had I not seen it

with my own eyes. “I had a photoshoot with clients. There’s a nice

lake in—”

“Spare me the details. I don’t care.”

A low growl slipped from my throat. “Why are you here? Didn’t

figure you for the chauffeur type.”

“I was in the area, and you’re Josh’s little sister. If you died,

he’d be a bore to hang out with.” Alex pulled up in front of my

house. Next door, AKA at Josh’s house, the lights blazed, and I

could see people dancing and laughing through the windows.

“Josh has the worst taste in friends,” I bit out. “I don’t know

what he sees in you. I hope that stick in your ass punctures a vital

organ.” Then, because I’d been raised with manners, I added,

“Thank you for the ride.”

I huffed out of the car. The rain had slowed to a drizzle, and I

smelled damp earth and the hydrangeas clustered in a pot by the

front door. I’d shower, change, then catch the last half of Josh’s

party. Hopefully, he wouldn’t give me shit for getting stranded or

being late because I wasn’t in the mood.

I never stay angry for long, but right then, my blood simmered

and I wanted to punch Alex Volkov in the face.

He was so cold and arrogant and…and…him. It was

infuriating.

At least I didn’t have to deal with him often. Josh usually hung

out with him in the city, and Alex didn’t visit Thayer even though

he was an alumnus.

Thank God. If I had to see Alex more than a few times a year,

I’d go crazy.

To be continued

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